When Boredom Strikes

Title: Dungeons and Dragons Online

Platform: Windows

Genre: MMORPG

Okay, before you crush this one out because I put MMORPG in the genre, please read the following review.

If you've ever played Dragon Age: Origins, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights, or any other game that uses D&D rules, you should definitely try this one out.

It's basically a massively multiplayer version of those games--albeit in a different lore. The controls are very easy to handle. You can even switch input modes, from WoW-like controls, to the default ones(like Dragon Age).

Content-wise, I would really say that the quests in this game is top-notch. Not like your regular grind house Korean MMO's where you need to kill uh... hundreds of mobs? Although if that's what you really want, there are also quota-kill quests for those who love to hack and slash.

Quests are surprisingly varied-- there are defense quests, help some NPC quests, PUZZLE quests, and my least favorite--grind house quests.

There is also a lot of room for variety as far as character customization is concerned, as you can choose between 3 main classes, and a plethora of specializations. Those who are familiar to the D&D system will be pleased to know that you can also customize your character to "break the mold" by choosing your own build-- by choosing your own personal mix of skills and feats. If you also really feel the need to be different, you can even dye your armor if you need to make a statement.

Unlike most MMO's this one doesn't have super imba levels (i.e. 99 or the current WoW level cap of 85), but a mere 20--in itself it doesn't sound high, but in D&DO there's a LOT you can do with that.

This is all well and good, but how much does it cost? It won't cost you anything. Not unless you want to get premium items-- but even the premium currency can be obtained from doing quests. Then again, most FREE-TO-PLAY games use this business model; while not alienating those who really want to stick playing the game for free.

And don't worry if your computer can handle it-- the best part of this game is that they really wanted as much people to play this game as possible, so they released the client in two-versions, the high-detail version and the low-detail version. I can't give you the specific list, because I only read it from a readme file, but if your PC can play KOTOR, you can be sure it is more than capable of running it smoothly. Please check the following link to be sure:

http://ddowiki.com/page/System_requirements

I know I really sound like a fanboy right now, but being an D&D-based RPG fan myself, I couldn't help but say "NERDGASM!" when I found this game was free.

It's definitely a must-try for those who want a break from Korean-style MMOs and who want a more content-driven RPG rather than a grind-driven RPG. Also a must-try for those who loved D&D-based games. (see 2nd paragraph)

Did I mention that it's free?